Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts looking to get a taste of the all new 2012 C-Class Coupe can get an opportunity to test drive the sleek two-door sports car courtesy of the luxury car maker through a Facebook test drive program as of September 21, 2011.
Mercedes-Benz is putting the athletic sports coupe in the hands of those who showcase their prowess for adventure via 1-2 minute video submissions on the Mercedes-Benz Facebook page www.facebook.com/mercedesbenzusa. Ten submissions are going to be chosen based on what Facebook fans would do with a C-Class Coupe for one week. Those chosen to fulfill their adventure are receiving a stipend of $2,000 in addition to the C-Coupe to help carry out their quest.
The C-Coupe Your Week program submission is underway and runs through October 14, 2011, 5 p.m. EST. Participants in the test drive program will have their submissions posted to the Mercedes-Benz Facebook page along with videos and photos from their adventure.
The 2012 C-Class Coupe has an aggressive stance that conveys performance from every angle. Both the 201-hp 1.8L turbo-4 engine in the C250 and the 302-hp 3.5L V-6 engine in the C350 are all-new. A high-pressure Direct Injection technology micro-manages the fuel spray as quickly as 0.1 millisecond for rich torque, leaner efficiency, and cleaner emissions. The C-Coupe is currently available at Mercedes-Benz dealers.
Source: Mercedes-Benz USA
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
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The plans of Olla Kaellenius, head of Mercedes-AMG, are now confirmed: the Affalterbach-based tuner will soon launch a sports variant for the newly-unveiled B-Class - the B 25 AMG, recently scooped for the first time.
The car is expected to arrive next year as a 2013 model and will share its underpinnings with the forthcoming A 25 AMG, which has already been spotted on streets in the form of camouflaged test prototypes. This means the new B 25 AMG will accomodate a specially-developed 4x4 chassis mated to a 4-cylinder supercharged gasoline engine capable of delivering a maximum output of up to 350 hp. To counteract the vehicle's generous dimensions that might affect dynamics, AMG will apply the car a height reduction treatment, in addition to a new set of modified suspensions and dampers and the latest AMG ride management solutions to enrich the sports behaviour of the B 25 AMG. Design-wise, the MPV tamed in Affalterbach will feature a distinctive look, materialized through the LED headlights, the rehauled radiator grille (with one louvre, we guess), the bespoke front bumper with revised air intakes, the 19" alloy wheels and double exhausts at the rear - all in true AMG style.
Source: WorldCarFans
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
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Formula One returns to Asia next week for Round 15 of the 2011 World Championship, the Japanese Grand Prix, hosted at one of the most popular tracks on the calendar, the 5.807 km figure-of-eight Suzuka Circuit.
• In the last ten years, 75% of races at Suzuka have been won from pole - a higher percentage than in Monaco (70%)
• Of the circuit´s 18 corners, 11 are taken at 200 kph or higher - including four at over 250 kph
• Since Suzuka returned to the calendar in 2009, both races have featured Safety Car periods
Michael Schumacher
“Suzuka is a very special circuit, and one which has held great races, and great memories, for me over the years. I always enjoy the challenge of driving here and getting the technical set-up of the car right to get the best from the demanding layout of the track. A great first sector, high-speed turns, and interesting corner combinations all make Suzuka one of the best race tracks of the year, and definitely one of my favourites. We will be working hard to make the most of our weekend here, and hopefully we can come away with a strong performance and some more points.”
Nico Rosberg
“I always enjoy visiting Japan for the Japanese Grand Prix, and Suzuka is truly a great race track. Personally I think it’s one of the best circuits on the Formula One calendar, along with Spa, and one which every driver loves. The layout is very challenging with high-speed corners and difficult chicanes. In the past, overtaking has been really difficult here, so it will be interesting to see how the new rules affect the racing. I always love the atmosphere in Japan and the fans are really enthusiastic in their support. Let’s hope we can put on a show for them and achieve a good result.”
Ross Brawn, Team Principal
“Suzuka is a classic racing circuit which has hosted some memorable races over the years, and we are looking forward to returning to Japan next week. The recent improvements to the circuit and paddock have made Suzuka an excellent venue, and the support that Formula One receives from the enthusiastic Japanese fans is always very impressive. After the tragedy which took place in the country earlier this year, we hope that the race will provide entertainment and enjoyment, and it seems somehow fitting that the championship is likely to be decided in Japan. From our team’s perspective, we had a more challenging weekend in Singapore than at the final two European races, however Suzuka is a track which should be more suited to our car, so we will work hard to have a stronger weekend here.”
Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
“The Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka holds a very special place in Formula One. We always enjoy the warm welcome from the Japanese people, their great passion and enthusiasm for our sport, and of course the challenge of the majestic Suzuka circuit. Following the tragedy that struck the country last March, the whole Formula One community is determined to put on an exemplary and thrilling race for our loyal and dedicated fans, many of whom have endured great hardships over the past six months. The circuit itself needs no introduction - it is one of the world´s greatest tracks, which tests man and machine to the limit. The layout is unique and one of the drivers’ favourites; a mega-challenging circuit that is said to divide the men from the boys. In terms of average lap speed, Suzuka ranks - together with Spa and Monza - among the top five of the season, which should mean our technical package should be better suited here than at the slower speed tracks. Having said that, it is clear to us that we cannot change the current pecking order at Suzuka; our target will be to produce performances like we delivered in Spa and Monza.”
* Official photo and details courtesy of MERCEDES GP PETRONAS *
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
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Lewis Hamilton“I love Japan, and the Japanese Grand Prix is one of the highlights of my season.
“This year, of course, we all travel to Japan extremely mindful of the consequences of the earthquake and tsunami that ravaged the country earlier this year. I hope that the Japanese Grand Prix can successfully show the world that the country is strengthening and rebuilding itself after the terrible events of last March.
“As for the race itself, I think Suzuka will play to my strengths: it’s a track that really requires you to drive in an attacking way to be able to get a good laptime. It’s an uncompromising place. But that’s when the thrill of driving a Formula 1 car is at its highest; when you know you can’t afford a single mistake and where driving on the absolute limit is the only way to get the best time. In that sense, it’s a lot like Monaco, and maybe that’s why I like the place so much – it’s unique.
“I think we’re headed there in pretty good shape: we know that the Red Bulls will be strong – but we also have a very quick car, and we can make it work on different kinds of circuit.
“Suzuka is another reasonably high-downforce track, which should play to our strengths. The weather in Japan in the autumn is always unpredictable – we’ve seen before that it can be beautifully sunny and hot or extremely cold and wet.
“I’ll take any conditions as long as I can race hard.”
Jenson Button
“I consider Japan my second home – it’s a place that’s very close to my heart, and, obviously, it’s going to be a very emotional experience for me to be racing in Japan for the first time since the events of last March.
“I’m very proud that the Formula 1 world championship will put Japan on the world’s sporting stage next weekend: while the country is still collectively rebuilding itself, I’m deeply aware that sport can play a significant role in helping to restore hope and normality to communities that were torn apart by the earthquake and tsunami.
“And I think it will be a great race for everyone. In the last few races, I think we’ve shown that we have extremely good pace and that we’ve been the team most able to take the fight to Red Bull. On paper, I think it’s a circuit that will suit the Red Bulls, particularly in the high-speed sweeps that make up the first sector of the track, but I certainly don’t think people should under-estimate our package.
“We showed at Spa that we have a car that’s very effective in high-speed corners. We’ve also improved our straightline speed and we have a more efficient rear-wing for qualifying, so I think we’re feeling positive about the weekend.
“For everyone who follows Formula 1, I hope we can put on a great race to bring further strength to the people of Japan. And to everyone in Japan, I say: ganbatte!”
Martin Whitmarsh
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
“Taking the long journey to Suzuka always reinforces the notion that we’re headed into the closing stages of the season.
“While there remains a mathematical, albeit slim, chance of Jenson securing the world championship, we realistically go into these last races with an undimmed resolution to win, and to ensure the world championship remains interesting, exciting and unpredictable for as long as possible!
"To that end, we’re still pushing ahead with the development of key areas of the MP4-26 – in particular, we’re focusing on areas where there will be significant carry-over of performance and learning into 2012. With the 26, the key areas of overlap development are the front and rear wings: any downforce we find this year can be carried over to the MP4-27.
“Encouragingly, we were able to successfully track-test our latest iteration of rear wing in Singapore, it proving sufficiently positive during Friday practice that it was deployed on both cars for the remainder of the race weekend. While there will be an inevitable shift of focus and deployment towards the new car, we still have enough momentum within the development system to ensure that we’ll still be introducing new parts through until the last few races of the season.
“Finally, McLaren has plenty of history in Japan – we’ve witnessed some incredible and unpredictable scenes involving our cars and drivers at both Suzuka and Fuji down the years – and, as a team, we’re all particularly proud to be going to Japan this year to play a sporting role in the redevelopment of a country that has endured terrible hardships and deprivation in 2011.
“It goes without saying that we will all be racing with the people of Japan in our hearts and minds next weekend.”
* Official photo and details courtesy of VODAFONE MCLAREN MERCEDES *
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
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More than four years after the market launch of the current generation the smart fortwo remains on the road to success. Until today over half a million models of the innovative two-seater have been sold. And sales continue to rise: since the beginning of the year 69,073 smart fortwo have been delivered to customers around the world, 6.6 percent more than in the same period last year.
"Our smart has long since evolved into an icon, which is indispensable in the cities of the world," says Dr. Annette Winkler, Head of smart.
With the third generation of the smart fortwo electric drive smart is once again setting standards. It will be available for ordering from spring 2012. Those who would like to be among the first owners will have the opportunity to make a reservation online as of the fourth quarter 2011. For the further development of the car the company was able to integrate extensive experience of about 15,000 test runs and customer feedback from various electric mobility projects. For example, this is reflected in clearly improved range and engine performance. Dr. Annette Winkler continues, "Driving with the new smart electric drive makes a lot of fun. It causes neither noise nor emissions, and yet with it you are agile and flexible on the roads in the city." The new sales model will make the introduction to electric mobility particularly attractive for customers. With the ‘sale&care’ model customers can buy, lease or finance the vehicle at an attractive price for less than EUR 16,000 before tax and rent the battery for less than EUR 60 per month before tax. As a result, production at the smart factory in Hambach, France has already been ramped up to a five-figure volume starting 2012. In Germany customers will be able to drive the new electric completely CO2-free as the company will provide additional ‘green’ electricity.
As an ideal addition to the portfolio, the smart ebike will be launched in the second quarter of 2012. As a true smart on two wheels it is exceptionally well-positioned thanks to its unconventional design in line with the style of the brand, functions appropriate for city use and high technology standards. The smart ebike, which has been developed and built in collaboration with the e-bike manufacture GRACE, will initially be distributed by smart dealers in Europe and North America. Through clever solutions such as the integrated USB port for smartphones or energy recuperation during braking the smart ebike has become a truly high-tech product, and it is being sold in Germany for a very attractive price of less than EUR 2,900.
Since January the facelifted smart fortwo continued to develop positively with growth of 6.6 percent compared to the same period last year - 69,073 vehicles were sold (64,819). Germany remains the most successful market for the smart, where 20,286 vehicles have been sold since the beginning of the year (plus 13 percent). As a result, the smart is the best-selling vehicle in its segment during the year to date. However, the smart fortwo is also developing well in many other markets – above all in China. Until May this year sales have already surpassed last year’s total sales figure; since January almost four times as many smarts have been sold than in the period from January to August 2010. In August, sales jumped another 141.5 percent.
Source: Daimler AG
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
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Things are definitely looking up at Agritechnica, the world’s largest exhibition of agricultural machinery, taking place from 15 to 19 November 2011 in Hannover. The event’s host, the DLG (German Agricultural Society), is expecting over ten percent more exhibitors, including a number of companies offering their products and services here for the first time. The exhibition programme encompasses agricultural engineering, agricultural equipment and crop management from tilling to harvesting. Two years ago, 355,000 visitors came to Agritechnica, and the expected turnout for 2011 is just as promising. Some 2600 exhibitors will be showing their wares on over 300,000 square metres of floor space – an ideal platform form at the perfect time of year for farmers.
Agritechnica thus provides a meeting point for all professional groups involved in agriculture: in addition to farmers, managers and staff of machinery rings, and service providers and contractors in farming and landscape preservation. Agritechnica has also become a trade fair for municipal applications. The reason: many service providers and farmers put their operations to work in winter for snow-clearing operations in municipalities and landscape preservation. This means that the exhibition is also visited by representatives of municipalities and regional authorities, particularly from northern Germany.
Visitors can receive complete information from vehicle manufacturers in the industry in Hall 9. At an exhibition stand covering approximately 320 square metres (stand number C 27), Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks will present the following exhibits: one 210 kW (286 hp) agricultural Unimog U 500 from the professional implement carrier series, one 160 kW (218 hp) Unimog U 5000 from the highly mobile off-road Unimog series and one 240 kW (326 hp) Zetros 1833A/4x4 off-road “cab-behind-engine” truck as an agricultural logistics vehicle.
Agriculture as a transport sector
Modern agriculture has seen a steady rise in transport services: each year farmers in Germany transport 500 million tonnes of goods over increasingly long distances. Time is usually an important factor here, since seasonal work is more important here than in any other industry. Grain, beets, maize, potatoes and special crops such as strawberries are taken from field to market, or for further processing, within an extremely tight time frame. Loads of sugar beets travel 90 kilometres on average, and grain maize, cereal and potatoes travel 20 to 30 kilometres. Also gaining in importance is the transport of biomass in the form of maize and grass to centrally located silos, where the base materials ferment and are converted to “food” for biogas plants. The fermentation substrate finds its way back to the field as manure. Such transport is frequently carried out by specialized contractors, because unlike farmers, they have the required logistics. With the Unimog and the Zetros, Mercedes-Benz offers two vehicles that are tailor-made for agricultural logistics.
Unimog: outstanding economy
An independent test conducted by the Lower Saxony chamber of agriculture on the Unimog from the implement carrier series recently demonstrated its economic efficiency. In this test, a fully loaded Unimog U 500 with a three-axle trailer (gross combination weight: 39 tonnes) achieved optimal consumption figures, both on federal roads and the autobahn, to which the Unimog has unrestricted access, of course. With its optional tire pressure control system, the Unimog can easily negotiate fields – an important criterion for agricultural logistics, and one that earned the vehicle high marks on the test. Thanks to the Umimog’s classic excellent off-road capabilities, loading on the field is a breeze.
Due to the relatively low unladen weight of the Unimog U 500, it can accommodate a high load capacity before reaching the permissible total weight of 15 tonnes. With two two-axle trailers, it comes in at precisely the legal transport length of 18 meters. With a gross combination weight of 39 tonnes, the Unimog U 500 essentially achieves the load capacity of a semi-trailer combination with a payload of 24 tonnes.
The electropneumatic transmission ‒ also available as an automatic – is designed for road operation and ensures low fuel consumption in conjunction with the engines from the large truck series. That has also been proven by independent tests. The DLG measured very good consumption figures for a Unimog U 400 operating as a tractor unit in front of a 21-tonne tandem trailer, namely a peak figure of just under 19 litres per operating hour. Of course, drivers appreciate the Unimog’s truck-like comfort, the high visibility of the work area, the optimal implement controls and the easy shifting.
The Unimog’s legendary versatility helps farmers and contractors tide themselves over during the off-season by carrying out municipal services ‒ here the Universal Motorized Working Machine, or Unimog as it is better known, has always been right at home as an implement carrier. In the quieter winter months, there’s snow clearing and de-icing to be done, and roadside landscaping in mid-season. The Unimog features up to 4 attachment points, a quick-change system for implements, good manoeuvrability, excellent handling both off-road and in snow and ice thanks to permanent all-wheel drive and portal axles, not to mention its excellent capabilities on the road.
Focus on safety
Like all vehicles from Mercedes-Benz, the Unimog models are systematically designed for safety using a comprehensive concept. The driver is aided by an optimal 360-degree view from the open-view cab on the Unimog U 300/U 400/U 500, which offers an unobstructed view in all directions thanks to five mirrors in total, and an ideal seating position, giving a clear view of intersections as well as implements mounted in front. A brake system with four-channel ABS and an automatic load-dependent brake (ALB) for regulating the brake force between the front and rear axle ensure driving safety. And the comfort level is also just right: vibration limits in the Unimog are lower than required by law for mowing and snow clearing, an important aspect of driver comfort. Thanks to a short front end, most front implements can be carried without requiring additional measures, and the favourable axle distribution ensures accurate tracking even in poor road conditions. Comfort seats with three-point belts and integrated head restraints guarantee occupant protection on par with a truck in the ECE R29-certified cabin.
Zetros: smooth handling off-road
The Zetros, a cab-behind-engine vehicle with an imposing presence, also has a special off-road suspension (planetary axles, robust and reinforced lead frame) and delivers an exceedingly smooth ride on rough terrain due to its cab position between the axles and even axle load distribution. The drive train houses a fully automatic torque converter transmission and two-stage transfer case with low-range gearbox. The in-line six cylinder engine (OM 926 LA) produces 240 kW (326 hp).
The Zetros comes in a two-axle and three-axle configuration. It is used primarily for fire-fighting, in the energy sector, as an expedition vehicle and now also in agriculture. In independent studies by FH Soest, the Zetros demonstrated maximum cost efficiency in transport applications, low fuel consumption and minimal impact on the ground. Recent measurements also document the unparalleled comfort of the cab. Moreover, the Zetros meets truck standards in terms of safety, eco-friendliness and noise emissions. The generous cab seats up to three people, with an optional folding bed and a work space that protects people and equipment in all weather conditions. The Zetros is also designed for mounting and attachment of implements. Front implements are mounted on the stable frame head, with an axle load of 7.5 tonnes, with as much as 9 tonnes as an optional extra.
Exhibition vehicles:
Unimog U 500 agricultural logistics with hydraulic power take-off and grain tipper
This 210 kW (286 hp) Unimog U 500 from the implement carrier series represents a typical application in agricultural logistics. Unlike a mechanical power take-off, which is also available, the hydraulic power take-off driven via oil pressure is continuously variable and transmits an output of around 100 kW to the implements. The power take-off is manufactured by the AS-Baugeräte company, as is the grain tipper with its particularly high load volume. In conjunction with one three‑axle trailer or two two-axle trailers, a highly effective vehicle combination for agricultural transport can be built with this Unimog. A gross combination weight of 39 tonnes yields a payload of 24 tonnes.
Unimog U 5000 with Dammann body-mounted sprayer
The highly mobile off-road U 4000/U 5000 series is frequently used for herbicide applications. The Unimog is equipped with a Dammann body-mounted sprayer with a capacity of 4000 litres that can achieve a working width of up to 36 metres. The newly available 495/70R24 tire dimension improves the already high ground clearance of the U 5000, enabling it to pass over tall crops. The vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure control system that allows it to travel over arable land with minimal impact, even under difficult conditions. Thanks to its short wheelbase of 3.25 m, the vehicle combination is highly manoeuvrable.
Premiere: Zetros as an agricultural logistics vehicle
The Mercedes-Benz Zetros will celebrate its premiere at Agritechnica. Designed by the Bruhns company as a tractor unit for the agricultural transport sector, the two-axle 1833A/4x4 version is tailored precisely for towing special agricultural trailers: the cab-behind-engine vehicle combines the pulling power and off-road capability required in agriculture with the economic efficiency of a truck. With a kerb weight of 8.1 tonnes and a gross combination weight of 40 tonnes, the Zetros provides a large payload. The 240 kW (326 hp) engine and six-stage fully automatic torque converter transmission enable the vehicle to travel slowly on the field and fast on the road. The fully automatic torque converter makes work easier and increases economic efficiency. The two-stage transfer case provides the optimal gear ratio in every situation. The Zetros is also equipped with a tire pressure control system that can be controlled from the driver’s seat. Yet another advantage: because the speed is electronically limited to 60 km/h, the Zetros can be operated as an agricultural tractor with a Class T driving licence.
60 years of Mercedes-Benz Unimog – The success of an idea
The Unimog has celebrated two big anniversaries in recent months. Sixty years ago, on 3 June 1951 to be precise, the first Mercedes-Benz Unimog was produced in Gaggenau, and in December 2010, the 10,000th unit of the U 300/ U 400/U 500 series left the assembly line at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth. With maximum off-road capability thanks to all-wheel drive and high-speed capability on the road, a one-of-a-kind vehicle concept for its time was created. Since then, Unimog vehicles have established a proven track record not only in snow-clearing operations and landscape preservation and other gardening and landscaping work, but also in fighting forest fires, transplanting trees, levelling out ditches and drilling holes in the ground, shunting on railways and emergency services on rough terrain.
In 60 years, over 380,000 units of the “Universal Motorised Working Machine” were built, at the Gaggenau plant until 2002 and since then in Wörth.
Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks
The Mercedes-Benz plant at Wörth is the largest truck assembly plant in the world and the second-largest employer in the region, with approximately 11,000 employees. The product line covers a gamut of gross weights ranging between 6.5 and 60 t with the Actros, Axor and Atego model series and the three Special Truck series, the Econic, Unimog and Zetros. Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks (MBS) is a separate business unit within Mercedes-Benz Trucks and has three functions. With the Econic, Unimog and Zetros model series, MBS is the professional small volume specialist, with sales of around 5000 units annually. It is also responsible for the Mercedes-Benz Trucks military business with the Actros, Axor, Atego, Econic, Unimog and Zetros model series. In addition, with the Molsheim, France, plant and its conversion partners,MBS is the professional conversion specialist for all model series, with approximately 10,000 trucks per year. MBS employs around 1500 staff at the Wörth and Molsheim sites.
Source: Daimler AG
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Today the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth started series production of the new Actros. To mark the event, Daimler CEO Dr. Dieter Zetsche sat behind the wheel as the first unit of the new truck rolled off the assembly line. The vehicle was built at the company’s largest truck assembly plant. The new Actros was redeveloped from scratch, and already meets the strict Euro VI emissions limits. Compared to the previous Actros, the new model consumes six to seven percent less fuel in the Euro V variant, and three to four percent less fuel in the Euro VI variant. The vehicle is the result of more than ten years of hard work, over 20 million test driving kilometers, and more than €2 billion spent on development and production technology.
Since a production launch on this scale occurs only about every 15 years in the commercial vehicle industry, the plant and its workforce began to prepare for the event years ago.
“With Daimler Trucks we want to grow much faster than the market as a whole and sell more than 500,000 trucks in 2013”, said Daimler CEO Dr. Dieter Zetsche and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars in Wörth. “The new Mercedes-Benz Actros sets the benchmark among its competitors; it is our most important truck of the decade.”
Flexibility at the Mercedes-Benz plant Wörth
The Wörth plant produces each truck exactly in line with customer specifications. These results in a great variety of trucks so that, statistically speaking, no two vehicles produced in a single year are the same. What’s unusual about production in Wörth is that all three of the Mercedes-Benz model series (Actros, Axor, and Atego) are made here on the same assembly line. They will be joined by the new Actros, which will be integrated into the existing series production process and be assembled on the same production lines as the other current model series.
High quality from the Mercedes-Benz Wörth plant
More than €2 billion was spent on developing the new truck and preparing the Wörth plant and its equipment for the production launch. The company built an automated warehouse for small parts, which forms the basis for a new logistics concept. It has also established the Development and Research Center, a test track for new generations of trucks, which brings the development and production areas even closer together. The employees received extensive training that familiarized them with the new Actros’ system environment.
“Our plant will remain the home of the Actros,” says Yaris Pürsün, Head of Mercedes-Benz Wörth plant. “We have thoroughly prepared ourselves for the production launch of the new Actros. To us quality made in Wörth means best quality from the very first new Actros, in terms of trucks you can trust.”
Mercedes-Benz has around 12,000 employees at its Wörth plant. The first Mercedes-Benz Actros rolled off the production line in 1996, and it is now the brand’s best-selling model series, along with the Mercedes-Benz Atego and the Mercedes-Benz Axor. More than 700,000 Actros trucks have left the plant to date, and the truck accounts for two-thirds of the Wörth plant’s annual output.
Source: Daimler AG
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
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Mercedes-Benz scores outstanding success in the poll for the ‘Goldenes Klassik-Lenkrad’: this year, four of the brand’s vehicles are awarded a trophy. The competition is run by specialist magazine Auto Bild Klassik in the form of a readers’ poll. The gala award ceremony for the winners took place in the Mercedes-Benz Museum on 29 September 2011.
“I’m absolutely delighted about the success for Mercedes-Benz,” says Michael Bock, Head of Mercedes-Benz Classic and Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz Museum GmbH. “It is a perfect way to round off the anniversary year marking 125 years of the automobile.”
The ‘Classic of the Year’ is awarded in five categories – and in three of them, the title goes to Stuttgart. In the saloon category, the Mercedes-Benz 300 (model series W 186) from 1951, popularly known as the ‘Adenauer’, tops the poll with 7,164 votes. The ‘convertibles and roadsters’ category is won by the Mercedes-Benz model series R 107 – the SL of the 1970s and 1980s (8,374 votes). Dominating the ‘off-road vehicles and MPVs’ category with 9,934 votes is the Unimog, first manufactured in 1951. The models that were nominated for the ‘Classic of the Year’ all celebrate a milestone anniversary in 2011.
The Mercedes-Benz CLS saw the greatest success: it not only won the ‘Classic of the Future’ title in the saloon category, but, with 12,350 votes, also received more support from the readers than any other model in the poll.
The main prize for the ‘Goldenes Klassik Lenkrad’ is donated by Daimler AG – a Mercedes-Benz 190 E (model series W 201) built in 1989. A prize draw was held to decide the winner from the participants of the poll. This nautical blue metallic car, part of the Mercedes-Benz Young Classics collection, is in excellent condition and has only 18,200 kilometres on the clock.
This is the second time that Auto Bild Klassik has held the competition. It invited readers to vote on the ‘Classic of the Year’, ‘Classic of the Future’, ‘Find of the Year’, ‘Restoration of the Year’ and ‘Person of the Year’. A total of 13 awards were presented, and 27,023 readers of the magazine and its online edition took part. All the results can be found at www.autobild.de/klassik-lenkrad.
Source: Daimler AG
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